The flag of Poland
shows two horizontal stripes in white and red. The colours have its roots in the Polish
heraldry (white eagle on red ground).
It was introduced on 5th of November in 1916, but it was already used in the 19th century
at national uprisings.

The beginning of the
typical Polish heraldry with the white eagle on red ground is nearly complete hide in the
past. Probably was this heraldry orientated  with the using of that colours 
in the Frankish Empire and  with the using of the eagle  in the symbolism of
the Roman Empire.

The eagle appears for
the first time on coins about the year 1000. Documentary and proved as coat of arms is it
for the first time in the year 1295 on a deed of King Przemyslaw II. Other sources name
also the years 1228 and 1241.

The Polish state
finished in the year 1795 with the last Polish Division as Poland became divided between
Russia, Austria and Prussia.

After
Napoléon invaded that region (1806) he created the Duchy of Warsaw in the year 1807 which
existed until 1815 under Saxon crown. It used a flag which showed two horizontal stripes
in white and vermilion.

The Duchy of Warsaw
became with the end of the era Napoléon divided between Prussia, Russia and the Free
State of Krakau on the occasion of the Vienna Congress (29th of March 1815).
The Prussian part became the Duchy of Posen which showed in its coat of arms the Polish
eagle in the chest shield of the Prussian eagle, as well as a flag with two horizontal
stripes in red and white. The Russian part was indeed called "Kingdom of
Poland", but became known as "Congress Poland". The king was the Russian
tsar and the country was not more then a Russian province. The Free State of Krakau (also
Republic of Krakau) has only an area of ca. 155 sq.mi. It used until its annexation
by Austria in the year 1846 a flag which showed two horizontal stripes in white and blue.

During the First World
War (19141918) Russian Poland was conquered by German and Austrian-Hungarian troops.
The Russian rule ended here on the 5th of August in 1915 and on the 5th of November in
1916 was proclaimed the Independent Kingdom of Poland and it was adoped a flag which
showed two horizontal stripes in white and red.
By the Entente (Great Britain, France, Italy, USA) the Polish state was recognized not
until 1917. On 7th of November in 1918 in Lublin was proclaimed the Republic of Poland and
the since 1916 used flag became continued. In 1928 were introduced the naval flag and the
standard of the president.

In the beginning of the
Second World War (19391945) Poland became overruned in only 26 days by German (since
1st of Sept.) and Soviet Russian troops (since 17th of Sept.) and has to capitulate on
27th of September in 1939. The State of Poland ended and became divided between the Soviet
Union and the German Empire. On the occasion of the occupation by the Soviet Union in
Lublin was established on 1th of January in 1945 a Polish government and the flag of 1916
became officially re-introduced and confirmed on 20th of March in 1956.

The coat of arms of
Poland shows a golden armed silvery eagle on red field. That Polish heraldry has a long
tradition and is proved as coat of arms for the first time in the year 1295 on a deed of
King Przemyslaw II. Other sources name also the year 1241 or a portrayal without colours
from the year 1228. Some coins keep suppose the use of the eagle even already about the
year 1000.

After the end of
Poland in the year 1795 the Polish heraldry was revitalized in the year 1916. The coat of
arms became modernized in 1927 and complyed at that time already nearly exact with the
todays design. After the end of the Second World War and the restoration of Poland
were re-introduced the old symbols of the state in 1945. Involved by the potent influence
of the Soviet Union Poland became a socialistic state. In this way occurs that in 1952 the
crown was removed from the head of the eagle. After the end of the socialism the crown was
put on the haed of the eagle again in 1990.

4th to 2nd
century B.C. · settlement of the todays Poland by German (Goths,
Burgundians, Vandals, Lugians) and Baltic nations (Pruzzians, Lithuanians, Lives, Kures),
Slavic tribes settle the region of the todays Ukraine and Belarus4th to 6th century · Great Transmigration ("Hike of Nations"),
because of the expansion of the Huns in the Middle Asia Region whole nations became pushed
to west, the Huns push the Slavs and that the Teutonic tribes6th to 7th century · massiv immigration of Slavic tribes (Polans,
Masovians, Wislans, Pomorans) into the by Teutonic tribes inhabited regions of the
todays Poland, the Teutonic tribes migrate in western directionca.800ca.900 · evolution of the Wislanic Principality of Krakau
and the Polanic Principality of Gnesenca. 960 · Mieszko I. from the house of the Piasts becomes Duke of the
Polansca. 1000 · Boleslaw I. from the house of the Piasts conquers the todays
southern Poland1119 · Boleslaw III. from the house of the Piasts conquers Pommerellen1122 · Boleslaw III. from the house of the Piasts conquers Pommerania1138 · war of succession after the death of Boleslaw III.,
disintegration of Poland in independent duchies, onset of the settlement by German
farmers, Baltes invade from the north1241 · Battle of Liegnitz, defeat of a Polish-German army under Duke
Henry II. of Lower Silesia against the Mongols, Baltes invade from the north deeper1226 · Conrad Duke of Masovia calls for the Teutonic Order to repulse
the Baltes1276 · Przemysl II. unifys the Duchies of Posen, Gnesen and Kalish and
becomes Duke of Great Poland1295 · Przemysl II. becomes crowned to the Polish King in Gnesen1309 · the Teutonic Order occupies Pommerellen and the City of Danzig1327 · Silesia becomes a Bohemian fiefdom1370 · the lineage of the Piasts vanishes with Kasimir III. in the
Kingdom of Poland1370 · Ludwig I., King of Hungary, becomes King of Poland1386 · Hedvig (Yadviga), daughter of Ludwig I. King of Hungary and
Poland, marrys the Lithuanian Grand Prince Yagiello and establishes in this way the
Polish-Lithuanian Personal Union and the lineage of the Yagiellons1410 · Battle of Tannenberg, defeat of the Teutonic Order against
Poland-Lithuania, in this way prevention of a further expansion of the Teutonic Order into
Lithuania1411/1466 · Peace of Thorn, the Teutonic Order cedes Pommerellen, the
Kulm Country, Western Prussia and Ermland to Poland-Lithuania1440 · Wladyslaw III., King of Poland-Lithuania becomes King of Hungary1471/1490 · Casimir IV., King of Poland-Lithuania, earns the crowns of
Bohemia and Hungaria29th of August 1526 · Turk's Battle near Mohács, death of Ludwig II.,
Bohemia and Hungaria come to the House of Habsburg1569 · Lublin Union, Poland and Lithuania, hitherto in Personal Union
become united7th of July 1572 · death of Sigismund II. August, the last Yagiellon,
the empire's parliament (Sejm) gets the right to elect the king1573 · election of Henry from the French lineage of Valois to the King
of Poland1576 · election of Stefan from the Hungarian lineage of Báthory to the
King of Poland1587 · election of Sigismunds III. from the Swedish lineage of Wasa to
the King of Poland1632 · election of Wladyslaws IV. from the Swedish lineage of Wasa to
the King of Poland, in the afteryears wars against Sweden, Russia and the Ottoman Empire1648 · Ukrainian cossack revolt under Bogdan Chmielnizki, overthrow of
King Wladyslaw IV., the Ukraine detaches from Poland and bonds with Russia1697 · election of the Saxon Elector August II. (the Strong) to the King
of Poland17001721 · Nordic War, Denmark, Saxony, Poland, Russia, Prussia,
Hannover against Sweden, Poland is frequently place of war and becomes devastated, it has
to cede Livonia to Russia and East Prussia becomes a fiefdom of Brandenburg1733 · death of King August II., in the afteryears elections of new
kings, wars against the Ottoman Empire for the Ukraine and Podolia, losses and defeats,
political, economical and cultural decline17641795 · regency of King Stanislaus II. August Poniatowski,
growing Russian influence1772 · First Polish Division, to counteract the growing Russian
influence in the Polish state protect Austria and Prussia broad Polish territories against
the Russian pounce by its annexation, Prussia annexes West Prussia, Ermland, Pommerellen
(without Danzig), the Kulm Country, the northern Kuyavia and the Netze Area, Austria
annexes Galicia, the southern parts of the Districts of Krakau and Sandomir, the District
of Reussen with Lemberg, Russia annexes all Polish territory eastern the Duena River and
the Dnjepr River, in the afteryears the conditions in the country become conspicuously
better, but the Confederation of Magnats (nobilitie's assembly) of Targowica in the year
1792 calls for Russian support1793 · Second Polish Division, to counteract the growing Russian
influence in the Polish state again protects Prussia once more broad Polish territories
against the Russian pounce by its annexation, Prussia annexes Great Poland (South Prussia)
and Danzig, Russia annexes the Ukraine, Eastern Polesia and Eastern Wolynia, as a result
of that in 1794 occurs the national people's revolt under Tadeusz Kosciuszko which was
especially orientated against the Russians and the pro-Russian aristocracy, once more
political, economical and cultural decline1795 · Third Polish Division, to counteract the more growing Russian
influence in the Polish state again protect Prussia ans Austria once more broad Polish
territories against the Russian pounce by its annexation, Prussia annexes New East Prussia
(Masovia and parts of Lithuania), Austria annexes Little Poland (Western Galicia), Russia
annexes all the remained Polish territory (Western Polesia and Western Wolynia, Lithuania
and Kurland), the existence of the Polish state finished1806 · Germany Campaign of Napoléon I., defeat of the German Empire,
end of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation1807 · Prussia has to cede the since 1793 and Austria the since 1795
annexed regions to the by Napoléon created Duchy of Warsaw under King Frederick August of
Saxony1813/1814 · Battle of Nations near Leipzig, end of the era Napoléon29th of March 1815 · Vienna Congress, reconfiguration of Europe after
the era Napoléon, the Grand Duchy of Warsaw becomes dissolved. Prussia earns back the
Kulm Country, the Netze Area and the western part of Great Poland (Posen), Kraukau becomes
a Free State. All other regions of the former Grand Duchy of Warsaw come as "Kingdom
of Poland" (Congress-Poland) to Russia, Polish King is the Russian tsar and the
country is not more then a Russian province18301831 · by the Polish aristocracy instigated Polish
nationalistic people's revolt ("Warsaw Revolt") in Russian Congress Poland and
even in the Prussian Grand Duchy of Posen, the revolt becomes suppressed, the mainly in
the Prussian Grand Duchy of Posen reigning Polish aristocracy becomes overthrowed and
Posen becomes transformed in a Prussian province1846 · out of the Free State of Krakau organizes the withdrawed Polish
aristocracy a further nationalistic people's revolt in the Austrian Galicia, the revolt
becomes suppressed, Austria occupies and annexes the Free State of Krakau to prevent
further agitations on its territory18631864 · Polish nationalistic people's revolt in Russian
Congress Poland, the revolt becomes suppressed1864 · abolition of the serfdom in Congress Poland19141918 · First World War, November 1914 to August 1915: Russian
Congress Poland becomes conquered by German and Austrian-Hungarian troops, 5th of August
1915 capitulation of the Russian troops in Poland5th of November 1916 · proclamation of the Independent Kingdom of Poland1917 · the Independent Kingdom of Poland becomes recognized even by the
Entente (Great Britain, France, Italy, USA)7th of November 1918 · proclamation of the Republic of Poland in Lublin,
President Józef Pilsudski1920 · Versailles Dictate, the German Empire loses Posen (50% German
inhabitants) and West Prussia (65% German inhabitants), until 1939 become ca. 1.000.000
Germans and Jews banished out of Poland into the German Empire and ca. 20.000 of them
become murderd19261935 · presidial dictatorship of Józef Pilsudski1932 · non agression pact with the Soviet Union1934 · non agression pact with the German Empire1938 · demands of the German Empire concerning Danzig and West Prussia
and clarification of the minoritie's question, Poland rejects1st of September 1939 · invasion of German troops (3rd of September 1939
France and Great Britain declare the war to the German Empire, onset of the Second World
War)17th of September 1939 · invasion of Soviet-Russian troops in Eastern
Poland27th of September 1939 · capitulation of the Polish troops, the by the
German troops conquered Territories of Posen, West Prussia, Danzig, New East Prussia
become incorporated into the German Empire again, Little Poland and Galicia become
summarized to the "General Government" (seat of administration: Krakau), the
Polish eastern territories of Wolhynia and Podlesia become annexed by the Soviet Union,
during the war between 1939 and 1945 lose ca. 4.500.000 Poles their lives1st of August 1941 · Eastern Galicia (since 1939 occupied by the Soviet
Union) becomes affiliated to the General Government1st of August2nd of October 1944 · "Warsaw Revolt",
bloody suppressed21st of July 1944 · in context of the occupation by the Soviet Union
constituates in Chelm the communist committee of the National Liberation1st of January 1945 · in Lublin constituates a pro-communist and
pro-soviet provisional government19451947 · affiliation of the Prussian Provinces of East Prussia,
Pommerania, Silesia and further regions to the Polish state, expulsion of ca. 9.000.000
German inhabitants, ca. 1.300.000 of them become murdered or die during the flee19th of February 1947 · new constitution22nd of July 1952 · new communist constitution1956 · worker's agitations, partial liberalization1980 · worker's agitations, strikes, foundation of the
Solidarnosc trade union1981 · declaration of the status of war1983 · abolition of the status of war1989 · worker's agitations, strikes, changes in the constitution,
partial free elections, permission and victory of the Solidarnosc trade union1991 · free elections1992 · new and democratic constitution12th of March 1999 · Poland becomes a member of the NATO2004 · Poland becomes a member of the European Union

The name
"Poland" has its roots in the name of the Slavic tribe of the
"Polans". This word Wort is coherent with the word "Polje" what means
"field". A indication for the agrarian nature of the forefathers of the
todays Poles.